One of conventional display units for a vehicle is disclosed in a Japanese patent application JP-A, sho62-58112, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. An instrument panel 120 having the display unit in front of a driver's seat, a steering wheel 121, and a display screen 123 attached to the instrument panel 120 are shown in FIG. 12A. The display screen 123 includes a fixed image area 123 displaying specific data and a selective multiple image area 124 displaying one of a plurality of images, such as three images, selected by a switch. These images are, for example, a tachometer-centered image, an image displaying all items, a safety monitor image, and the like.
A screen 124a displaying the tachometer-centered image is shown in FIG. 12B. A tachometer 125 and a torque split meter 126 indicating a state of torque distribution between front and rear wheels of a four-wheel-drive car are arranged in the screen 124a. A turbocharger boost pressure meter 127, a water-temperature meter 128, and a fuel meter 129 are also arranged on the screen 124a at a lower part thereof.
As shown in FIGS. 13A, 13b, an image area 141 displaying the torque split meter 126 is also used for displaying warning indicators for indicating contents of a trouble that occurred.
That is, as shown in FIG. 13A, a warning indicator 142 indicating, for example, a shortage of brake fluid is also displayed on the image area 141 of the screen 124a instead of the torque split meter 126.
Further, as shown in FIG. 13B, after a specific period from the trouble, the torque split meter 126 and a shrieked warning indicator 142′ are displayed in the image area 141.
Another conventional display unit for a vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application JP-A, hei 11-248490.
A display unit for a vehicle shown in FIG. 14 is used in a combination meter for a vehicle. A bezel 216 and a front pane 217 are mounted in front of a meter case 201.
An LCD panel 202 is mounted inside the meter case 201. A controller 203 is mounted at a rear of the LCD panel 202. A transparent EL panel 204 is mounted in front of the LCD panel 202.
FIG. 15A shows an example image of analog meters of the combination meter. The LCD panel 202 displays a dial plate design 210 as a background image of a speedometer 205, a tachometer 206, a fuel meter 207, a water-temperature meter 208 and the like. The LCD panel 202 also displays a shift lever position indicator 211 at a center thereof. FIG. 15B shows a car navigation screen 212 and warnings 213 at a left half of a screen shown in FIG. 15A.
The transparent EL panel 204 is typically used as a flat panel display. The EL panel 204 is normally transparent, and displays optional character pattern with optional color at an optional area by the controller 203. In this case, the EL panel 204 displays a pointer 215. Namely, the LCD panel 202 displays the background image and the EL panel 204 disposed in front of the LCD panel 202 displays the pointer 215. Thus, a stereoscopic analog meter image like a conventional analog meter is attained.
The conventional display unit as shown in FIGS. 12, 13A, 13B, displays various images, however, they have planar, even, and featureless images.
On the other hand, another conventional display unit shown in FIGS. 14, 15A, 15B, displays a stereoscopic image, however, since an expensive EL panel 204 is employed for displaying a pointer 215, a cost of the display unit increases.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a display unit displaying stereoscopic and distinctive images at a low cost.